Filed under: Odds and ends
Ask the TUAW Readers: Best use for a Newton
TUAW reader Paul writes in to tell us he just picked up a used Messagepad 120 for under ten bucks. (Lucky guy!) It should arrive later this week. So, now what? As a proud new Newton owner, what are the best ways to use his new gadget?
Well, Paul, before throwing this out to our readership at large, let me suggest that you use the Newton for organizing your life, taking free-hand notes and for shooting off faxes. That's what I used the Newton for when I had one in my life. It was a fabulous (although bulky) companion for meetings and classes--kind of a over-powered and slightly-overlarge Palm Pilot. And that doesn't even begin to address "Newton Poetry", the surreal interpretations of the not-quite-accurate Newton handwriting interpreter.
Readers, what other suggestions do you have for Paul and his new toy? How can he best make use of the Messagepad?
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Andy said 11:45PM on 3-19-2007
I just can't think newton without remembering "Eat up Martha".
http://www.tuaw.com/2006/02/16/eat-up-martha/
Reply
Ari said 12:22AM on 3-20-2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euC45RNqg4Q
Reply
Danny said 12:28AM on 3-20-2007
I used to stream Internet radio on my Newton 2100. You just need a compatible PCMCIA LAN card (3Com based units work fine and 10Mb cards are cheap) and the software to make it work. It's been a while so I don't remember all the particulars, but there is a site I found that looks to have all you need to get up and running.
http://www.stonehopper.com/radio/
Reply
Gary said 1:40AM on 3-20-2007
My first though was ' should have got a 130... But for 10 bucks, a 120 should give you plenty of laughs (and some cool soup insights). I used a 130 professionally and productively in an IT environment for a few years. No problems with cursive handwriting (and mine is BAD), note taking and diagramming (text and drawing combos). Great for configuring up all kinds of fussy network routers/devices (various serial cable connections), and also for web, email and terminal sessions for remote Unix admin. Hmmmmm, hope Apple do finally do a tablet (and multi-touch would be great), I miss the Newton's free form drawing, doodling and writing down of idea notes.
Reply
John Edgar said 9:18AM on 3-20-2007
They make excellent paper weights!
Reply
dave said 9:52AM on 3-20-2007
The work great as a GTD "Ubiquitous capture tool."
Reply
Eric Lakin said 9:55AM on 3-20-2007
Put Linux on it. I'm dual-booting the Newton OS and Ubuntu on my MP2000 and it works great, and runs fairly quickly. I do miss having a color screen, but the portability is priceless. It's my primary computer now.
Reply
kt said 12:10PM on 3-20-2007
I use mine for grocery shopping. I recently got a USB - Serial adapter and want to try to sync her up using newten, but it came with one of those stupid TINY CDs... ugh! I have to wait until the weekend when I can really sit down and work with her.
Oh, and this is my Newton Haul. http://flickr.com/photos/sabortijuana/292035587/ All that for $20! The guy wanted a lot higher, but being a girl at an Apple Swap helps. I got it at the end of the day for that little because no one had bought it. Score! :p
thing eats batteries like an old HP digital camera, though! :eek:
Reply
Gene Cowan said 12:28PM on 3-20-2007
Use it to teach people handwriting skills.
I never had any trouble with my Newton recognizing my handwriting and translating it perfectly -- but most people these days have the handwriting of a doctor writing a prescription. Obviously, they don't teach penmanship anymore, the same way they don't teach spelling anymore. Computers have taken these skills away from our society. This is why Newton was the butt of so many handwriting recognition jokes: Newton wasn't at fault, it was the illegible scrawl of the user.
If another person can't read it, why would you assume a small hand-held computer could read it?
Reply
O. said 1:55PM on 3-20-2007
I depends on what kind of 120 he has. The 120 came in both OS 1.3 and 2.0 flavors. If he has the 2.0 version, he will have real good HWR. OS 1.3 was the 'egg freckles' HWR.
@kt
if your batteries are eaten up quickly, check your preferences to see if it is checking for IR connections. That drains the battery fast.
I also doubt the dual booting on a Newton.
Reply
okto said 2:00PM on 3-20-2007
"I'm dual-booting the Newton OS and Ubuntu on my MP2000"
I call shenanigans on that. Screenshots and howto or it never happened.
Reply
ian said 3:27PM on 3-20-2007
Ubuntu on the Newton, probably not. But Newton on Ubuntu (or Mac OS X, for that matter), yesirree bob.
http://www.kallisys.com/newton/einstein/
Reply
O. said 10:34PM on 3-20-2007
Also, it is a MP 2100 in the pic not a MP 120
Reply
Victor R said 10:02AM on 3-21-2007
I keep an old MP120 around in the car with GeekGas installed to keep track of my car's gas mileage:
http://newton.newtopia.com/
Reply
reidsrow said 2:10PM on 3-21-2007
I use it for doing Academic Research:
http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/index.php/DoingAcademicResearch
Reply
Gareth J Wells said 6:14AM on 3-22-2007
As an archaeologist, my MP120 is a great field notebook and Availworks is a handy wordprocessing tool if I'm travelling without my iBook. More importantly, my MP120 serves as a good eBook Reader. Didn't cost me much to buy, not a (huge) disaster if it gets lost/damaged and has a certain retro-cool (in a slightly geeky kind of way).
All in all, the Newton is still a useful tool!
Reply
Paul said 11:00PM on 3-22-2007
Thanks for the advice. I really wish I could duel-boot ubuntu and newton OS, but I don't think that's possible at all.
One question, I have an old Apple Laserwriter printer that can only interface with a now broken make using the localtalk cable. Can I print using the newton? If so, I think I am going to take all of my notes form class on it!
And yep, I scored it for $8.49, still working!
Reply
Jon Glass said 10:46AM on 3-25-2007
One question, I have an old Apple Laserwriter printer that can only interface with a now broken make using the localtalk cable. Can I print using the newton? If so, I think I am going to take all of my notes form class on it!
Yes, in fact, I always thought that the older LocalTalk LaserWriters were the best way to print from the Newton. I used to Carry a StyleWriter II around with me for on-the-road printing (drove a van), but preferred LW printing. It was great! BTW, stick that in your pipe, Palm...
-Jon
Reply